>The [billionaire Russian businessman](https://www.theguardian.com/media/alexander-lebedev), who little more than a decade ago bought the UK’s Evening Standard and Independent newspapers, was named in Ottawa’s latest sanctions announced on Friday.
>
>James Emmanuel Wanki, a spokesperson for Global Affairs Canada, confirmed to the Guardian on Saturday that Alexander Yevgenievich Lebedev, born in 1959, is on Canada’s sanctions list against Russia.
>
>The restrictions also included a ban on the import of Russian vodka, diamonds and caviar, according to [the Globe and Mail](https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-canada-imposes-additional-sanctions-on-russian-oligarchs-bans-some/).
>
>A UK government spokesperson said: “This government has been resolute in standing up to Russian aggression. We keep all sanctions under review and they are determined after careful consideration.”
>
>But Labour accused the government of dragging its feet in imposing sanctions on those with links to the Russian president.
>
>The party’s deputy leader, Angela Rayner, said: “Labour has been clear that anyone with links to the KGB must face sanctions. The Conservatives have been so slow and too soft in issuing sanctions to those with links to Putin.
>
>“There is now an extremely strong case for Alexander Lebedev to face sanctions from the UK and the government must now urgently look at the evidence.”
>
>She accused Boris Johnson of having “form when it comes to protecting the Lebedevs”.
>
>“He failed to release critical information relating to the appointment of Alexander Lebedev’s son to the House of Lords, despite concerns from the security services. This is another case of the prime minister bending the rules to protect his friends,” she said.
>
>Lebedev’s links to Johnson [are well documented](https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/dec/22/johnson-visit-to-lebedev-party-after-victory-odd-move-for-peoples-pm).
>
>The government was accused of [a cover-up](https://www.theguardian.com/media/2022/may/12/government-refuses-to-release-lebedev-peerage-details-despite-mps-instruction) last week after it declined a Commons instruction to release information about the decision to make him a peer, claiming it would undermine the confidentiality of those nominated and could degenerate into political point-scoring.
3 comments
Kind of amazing that the owner of UK newspapers is on a sanactions list in Canada because of his ties to Putin.
Telegraph: [Boris Johnson faces fresh pressure over Lord Lebedev’s peerage after oligarch father sanctioned](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2022/05/21/russian-oligarch-alexander-lebedev-hit-sanctions-canada/)
[🪞 link](https://archive.ph/Zd7wy)
–
Mail: [Russian oligarch Alexander Lebedev is hit by sanctions in Canada after his son faced questions in UK over peerage](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10840249/Former-owner-Independent-ex-KGB-officer-Alexander-Lebedev-hit-sanctions-Canada.html)
[🪞 link](https://archive.ph/MUb73)
–
Financial Times: [Canadian sanctions put Lebedevs back in the UK spotlight](https://www.ft.com/content/c9fe610a-f4ec-413c-8f0d-fd9a86eca9dd)
[🪞 link](https://archive.ph/7F6cO)
>The [billionaire Russian businessman](https://www.theguardian.com/media/alexander-lebedev), who little more than a decade ago bought the UK’s Evening Standard and Independent newspapers, was named in Ottawa’s latest sanctions announced on Friday.
>
>James Emmanuel Wanki, a spokesperson for Global Affairs Canada, confirmed to the Guardian on Saturday that Alexander Yevgenievich Lebedev, born in 1959, is on Canada’s sanctions list against Russia.
>
>The restrictions also included a ban on the import of Russian vodka, diamonds and caviar, according to [the Globe and Mail](https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-canada-imposes-additional-sanctions-on-russian-oligarchs-bans-some/).
>
>A UK government spokesperson said: “This government has been resolute in standing up to Russian aggression. We keep all sanctions under review and they are determined after careful consideration.”
>
>But Labour accused the government of dragging its feet in imposing sanctions on those with links to the Russian president.
>
>The party’s deputy leader, Angela Rayner, said: “Labour has been clear that anyone with links to the KGB must face sanctions. The Conservatives have been so slow and too soft in issuing sanctions to those with links to Putin.
>
>“There is now an extremely strong case for Alexander Lebedev to face sanctions from the UK and the government must now urgently look at the evidence.”
>
>She accused Boris Johnson of having “form when it comes to protecting the Lebedevs”.
>
>“He failed to release critical information relating to the appointment of Alexander Lebedev’s son to the House of Lords, despite concerns from the security services. This is another case of the prime minister bending the rules to protect his friends,” she said.
>
>Lebedev’s links to Johnson [are well documented](https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/dec/22/johnson-visit-to-lebedev-party-after-victory-odd-move-for-peoples-pm).
>
>The government was accused of [a cover-up](https://www.theguardian.com/media/2022/may/12/government-refuses-to-release-lebedev-peerage-details-despite-mps-instruction) last week after it declined a Commons instruction to release information about the decision to make him a peer, claiming it would undermine the confidentiality of those nominated and could degenerate into political point-scoring.